Azumanga Daioh: Cat's Cradle: A Springtime Romance
by Nanpakun
Summary: Chiyo goes to America to look at universities for the following year. Sakaki must find someone to look after her Yamamaya cat until Chiyo returns. When Kaorin says she's up to the task, a series of events may lead to startling discoveries.
1. Chapter 1

It was spring. The windows in every home had been thrown open, allowing the cool breeze to sweep in from the mountains and fill each house with the pungent aroma of a fresh new year. The sakura trees were in full bloom, a dazzling spectrum of rosy pink casting romantic glows upon every street corner. The frenetic bustle of Tokyo existence, the ever-changing technological whirlwind of urban Japanese life seemed to freeze for a moment of tranquil, almost ancient repose. Traditional Japanese arias were hummed by hunch-backed old women as they scrubbed washboards in the narrow labyrinthine streets of Tokyo; streetside ramen shops were garnished by cherry blossom petals, and the parks were full of picknickers taking in the marvelous view. In the minds of high school girls everywhere, there was romance, spring fashions, and White Day. In Sakaki's mind, there were killer cats.

And lately, there were many of them. Little Chiyo had discovered that one of the local strays had just given birth to a new litter of five. At present, kittens dappled almost every bylane and avenue in the district. In the old days, Sakaki would have stifled a gasp of cuteness-arrest while blushing furiously and spent hours trying to find a way to hide one around the house so her parents--both allergic to furry animals--wouldn't find her pet. But these days, she had Maya, her adopted Yamamaya wild kitten to look after.

As Sakaki walked to school she was accompanied, as usual, by Chiyo, the little girl's clip-on twin tails bobbing amiably as she skipped along, gossiping about this and that, the wonders of springtime, the new school uniforms, and the upcoming festivals. As usual, the highly academically gifted preteen was worried sick about the outcome of this semester's athletics festival. Sakaki was lost in a daydream as she considered taking Maya on a picnic to Ueno Koen Park.

"Oh, Sakaki-san," Chiyo said suddenly. "I forgot to mention it...um...but my parents and I are going away to America to look at universities I might attend next year."

"I see..." replied Sakaki, half listening.

"Well you see nobody will be home... and Maya..."

It suddenly clicked, and Sakaki almost screeched to a halt.

"You mean...?"

Chiyo nodded, visibly distressed. "Tadakichi-san will be staying with a relative, but for the time being, you'll have to find a place for Maya-chan to stay... at least until I get back. And I know your parents won't allow it...so..."

Fear suddenly gripped Sakaki. She recalled the condition Maya had been in when they'd found him, half-dead, travel weary from having journeyed all the way from the distant island of Iriomote. Who could she find to look after Maya? She loved her new pet more than anything else.

"I'll have to find someone to look after him," Sakaki murmured.

"Who will you ask?" Chiyo said.

Sakaki shook her head, nonplussed. "I'm not sure." After a pause, she added, "Tomo maybe?"

At that, Chiyo shrank back. Behind her, dark squiggly spirit lines enveloped her as she blanched, thinking about the rambunctious berserker girl spinning the cat around by its short little arms.

"Um...Sakaki-san...I'm not sure that's such a good idea..."

As if the two had simultaneously shared the same vision, Sakaki nodded quickly. "You're right. Maya doesn't like Tomo. But who can I ask? Yomi's parents don't allow pets either and she lives in very small apartment. Kagura lives too far away, and Osaka would forget to feed him."

"I could ask my friends Miruchi and Yuka from grade school. They like cats too."

"No," Sakaki sighed. "That would be inconvenient and unreasonable. I just... don't know what I'll do... Maya..."

Kaorin slumped down into her chair, staring down at the Classics textbook. Even though she wasn't looking, she could feel Kimura-sensei's lecherous gaze upon her. She began to scribble upon her notepad, drawing a cartoon of her infatuate Sakaki-san and herself about to kiss. Why? Why had she been the only one of her former classmates to be transferred into Kimura's class? What fate could possibly be worse than becoming Kimura's class pet? The way she saw it, the gods were so old that they had become senile and life was a constant game of the gods puppeteering people's circumstances for their own personal guffaws. Wistfully, she drew a heart around her sketch.

"KAORIN!" came a shrill screech.

The poor girl nearly lept out of her seat. Kimura stood right above her desk, leering, mouth agape, glasses shining perversely.

"Kaorin. Would you please read the next passage?" her sensei asked.

Quickly obscuring her drawing, Kaorin drearily read the next paragraph. When she finished, Kimura slammed his hands down upon her desk and screamed, "BANZAI!!!!!"

The entire class sweat-dropped.

After school was out, Kaorin made her way out of the building and spotted Sakaki standing amongst the circle of her usual group of her friends. Cheeks flushing, she hid behind the nearest tree and eavesdropped.

"...so Maya-san has nowhere to stay," Chiyo finished explaining. "Sakaki's parents are allergic to cats, so we don't know who can look after him."

Tomo's hand shot up. "I volunteer!" she said. "I'm good with cats."

"Baka!" Yomi growled, elbowing Tomo in the stomach. "It bit you because you were hitting it, remember?"

"He's a wild cat," Tomo protested. "He's gotta learn how to fight!"

Sakaki grimaced at the thought of Maya getting into a brawl with the local neighborhood cat gangs. Chiyo-chichi drifted by serenly above the girls as they continued the discussion.

"I'd take him," Kagura said, "but I'm not good with animals. And I live pretty far away."

Sakaki nodded. "I understand," she said softly.

"Um...Sakaki-san?" came a timid voice.

The girls turned around to find Kaorin standing behind Sakaki, her face incredibly red.

"Oh, hi Kaorin," Chiyo exclaimed. "We were just talking about Sakaki's cat, Maya."

"Sakaki-san has a cat?" Kaorin wondered. "I...I didn't think Sakaki-san was that kind of person."

Sakaki's cheeks burned. "Well...I..."

"He followed Sakaki all the way back from Okinawa," Kagura added. "He's really taken with her."

"Oh... I see," Kaorin mumbled. "But aren't Sakaki-san's parents allergic to cats?"

"They are," Sakaki said. "But Maya's been staying with Chiyo's parents. But Chiyo is going to America so Maya has nowhere to stay."

"Well...I don't know if Sakaki-san would consider a person like me, but if Sakaki would like, Maya can stay with me until Chiyo gets back."

Sakaki's jaw dropped. "Kaorin... are you sure about this?"

Kaorin beamed. "Of course. I really like cats too, Sakaki-san. It's kind of embarassing actually, but I've had the same Nekokoneko bed sheets since I was Chiyo's age."

Sakaki covered her mouth, stifling her surprise. "Then...then maybe Maya-san would like such a place..." she stammered.

"If it's okay with Maya-san," Kaorin smiled, "then he's more than welcome to stay."

"Hurray!" Chiyo giggled. "Maya will be alright now."

Sakaki nodded. "Mm. Kaorin, I'll stop by tonight. Would it be alright if I slept over? Just to make sure Maya gets used to his new surroundings ok."

Kaorin inwardly screamed with joy. A field of yellow marigolds sprouted around her and churchbells chimed in the distance. Then she realized that she was standing there dewey-eyed, the other girls looking at her strangely. Mortified, she coughed and stared at the ground.

"Y-yes," she said. "That'll be fine. I just remembered I had something to do!"

And with that, Kaorin sped off like the shinkansen to Okinawa.


	2. Chapter 2

Sakaki stood, waving after the black limousine as it slowly pulled out of Chiyo's mansion like a sleek panther on the prowl. From out of the back window, the little twin-tailed girl could be seen, cheerfully waving, Tadakichi-san barking a K-9 farewell salute. Maya, Sakaki's wildcat, stood silently beside her, watching the limo ponderously as it disappeared off into the sunset. Sakaki turned.

"Come, Maya," she said softly. "Let's go find you a place to stay."

Maya mewed as if in affirmative response.

Kaorin scrambled around her room, tidying up her bedroom, rolling out a small, rather uncomfortable inflatable futon. The closer the hour approached, the louder the girl's heart beat until she thought it would burst out of her chest. A real sleepover with Sakaki-san! It was unbelievable! Apparently, those senile gods that had placed her in Kimura's class still listened to prayers every now and then.

Kaorin's room was in shambles. She'd been trying to clean it--even though from the start, for a teen girl's room it had been rather immaculate to begin with--but despite her efforts she only seemed to make the bedroom even messier. While she fussed over the symmetry of her Nekokoneko pillows, she played out the scenerio yet again in her mind. Sakaki-san would bring over her pet. Kaorin had made a cute little cat closet with her plush toys and stuffed animals in her closet where Maya could stay. After they got Maya situated, they would have dinner (which Kaorin had prepared hours in advance herself; she'd gone to the store that very afternoon for a brand new cookbook even!), desert--special manjyuu from Miyajima island. They'd make idle chatter while sipping tea, perhaps watch a little television, read a book, and then go to bed. Each in their seperate beds. Kaorin would give Sakaki-san the futon of course--Sakaki was the bigger of the girls and she wanted her to be comfortable. She'd never forgive herself if Sakaki-san woke up with a stiff back and was unable to participate in gym class.

And then it hit her like a bullet train at full speed. What would she talk to Sakaki-san about? She knew very little about Sakaki-san, in fact. She knew she was into athletics. Lately she'd learned she had a cat. The two were very contradictory tidbits of information, which didn't make brainstorming any easier. But supposing Sakaki liked cats, then Kaorin would have lots to talk about. Kaorin was a feline fanatic herself, although she let that on to few other than her best friend, Chihiro. Chihiro, although Kaorin's closest friend since grade school, didn't seem to understand Kaorin's hobbies that much. It was a distance that Kaorin vigilantly maintained, fearing the girl find out about her Sakaki obsession. If she ever let on even in the slightest that fantasized about Sakaki romantically, that would be committing social suicide on every possible level. Besides, Sakaki-san would never think of Kaorin in such a way.

The buzz of the doorbell roused Kaorin from her reverie and mental spiderwebs of possibilites, scandals and fantasies. Kaorin lept out of her skin. All color drained from her face. Sakaki-san had arrived.

Racing down the hallway, Kaorin slipped in her school socks and crashed into a wall. Collecting herself, she marched down the stairs, took a deep breath, and opened the door.

In the wan light of dusk, Sakaki-san looked dazzling. Hey mystifyingly dark azure eyes seemed to drink in the subtle hues and colors of the night. The street lanterns cast a soft orange glow upon her seemingly flawless skin. Long, silky jet hair seamlessly framing her face, she was a vision of absolute, unadulterated, youthful beauty. Kaorin began to sway, and almost fainted.

"I hope this isn't an imposition," Sakaki said after a moment.

Kaorin snapped to attention. A bead of sweat forming upon her forehead, she blushed furiously and replied, "No! Not at all! To tell you the truth, I've always wanted a cat but I've been too indecisive about getting one. I mean, I've gone to the pet store plenty of times, but they're all so cute and huggable that I can't decide on just one, and I'd feel as if I was letting the others down if I only brought home one. I... I couldn't split up a family like that... take a brother away from his sisters and stuff like that."

Sakaki nodded with a grunt. "I know just what you mean!" she said, the faint glow of her excitement momentarily lapsing through her usual reticence. "I look through catalogs often... but..." Suddenly, as if hit with an electric jolt, Sakaki regained her usual composure. "It... it's nothing really."

"No no please go on, Sakaki-san!" Kaorin said, ecstatically. For a brief moment, she had felt as if Sakaki-san had connected with her feelings.

"Should we go inside?"

Kaorin nodded. "Oh yes of course, please come in!"

Holding her breath, Kaorin ushered Sakaki into her bedroom. Sakaki's face turned an uncharted shade of crimson as her eyes panned across the room. Nekokoneko blankets and linens, an armada of stuffed animals, shelves stuffed with shoujo manga, cute flowery wallpaper; it was paradise. Sakaki's knees began to shake.

"Sakaki-san... it's kind of embarassing... I've had it this way since I was a kid. I hope you don't think it's too childish..."

Sakaki put her hand up to her mouth. Maya scampered into the room and began to sniff around, getting used to his new surroundings. Kaorin walked over to the closet.

"I made Maya-san a little den in the closet. It isn't much, but I think he might like it."

Kaorin opened the closet, exposing the plush little world of stuffed animals and dolls within. Sakaki stifled a groan of cuteness-assault.

"Sakaki-san, is something wrong?" Kaorin asked.

"N...no... I... I j-just..."

It was marvelous, Sakaki thought, even more well done than her own room. Of course, she'd naturally tried to hide a lot of her own collection from her friends, fearing they find out about her penchant for the cute and utterly kawaii. But Kaorin's room was armed to the teeth with all kinds of cat memorabilia, plush toys, pillows, and other nameless frilly things. Sakaki could only dream her parents buy her things like this, but both her mother and her father pushed sports and academics on her hard. Sakaki's overnight bag slipped from her hands as she absorbed the ultimate cuteness of Kaorin's room.

"Sakaki-san!"

"Kaorin..."

The two stared at each other a moment.

"I'm sorry," Sakaki said. "It's just... your room... it's so..."

"I knew it!" Kaorin said tremulously. "You hate it!"

"No!" Sakaki said abruptly. "It's... so..."

"'So'...?"

"So... cute."

A broad grin spread across Kaorin's face. "You mean you like it?"

Sakaki only nodded. "May I come in?"

"Please come in!" Kaorin entreated her.

The tall girl walked into Kaorin's inner sanctum. She was immediately drawn to Kaorin's desk, upon which sat the limited edition 12 month of the year nekokoneko collectible set.

"You... you have the limited edition nekokoneko..."

"Yeah," Kaorin said sheepishly. "I ordered it from a catalog a while ago."

"It was back ordered for months. Only one thousand or so were made. How did you get it?"

"Oh, it's nothing really. My mother is a graphic design artist for magazines. A lot of the time she gets copies of the issues before they're actually released."

Sakaki looked down. She espied Kaorin's school notebook. It was Lilo & Stitch themed.

"Cute..." Sakaki whispered.

"Oh, that's just my school note--"

Kaorin screamed inwardly, rushing to the table, snatching the notebook, and putting it in the bottom drawer of the desk. Panting nervously, she recalled the drawings of Sakaki she'd done on nearly every page.

"Um... that's nothing really," she stammered. "I cooked dinner for us. Would you like to eat? I don't know what you like, so I made a lot of different things. Are you a vegeterian? Probably not, because you're so big and strong, right? What does Sakaki-san eat normally?"

"I... I don't eat that often," Sakaki said.

"Well that's ok," Kaorin said. "Just have what you like. I did make some different rice balls though."

"I see..."

"I'll show you the kitchen," suggested Kaorin. "Maybe we can find something Maya likes as well."

"That would be great," Sakaki smiled.

The two drank tea in quietude. Sakaki casually stroked Maya who stretched and mewed appreciatively. Kaorin stared at Sakaki-san, lost in thought. What an incredible person, Kaorin supposed. Sakaki likes cute things too. She's so misunderstood. I didn't think that someone like her could ever possibly--

Sakaki had stood up and had begun to unbutton her trousers. Kaorin's complexion became beet red.

"Wh-wh-what are you doing?" Kaorin blabbered.

"Since I figured I was staying overnight, I brought my pajamas. It's ok that I stay, right?"

Kaorin was speechless and stiff as a board. "I...you...that..."

"If it isn't, I can come back tomorrow to check on Maya..."

"NOOOOO!" Kaorin roared. "It... it's absolutely fine for you to stay! I just mean... uh... well... bed."

"Bed?"

"Yes. You can sleep in my bed for tonight. I mean, you can borrow it. Without me in it. Yes. I'll sleep on this futon here."

Sakaki blinked. "Is that alright?"

"It's an old futon, but I'll manage. I have pajamas too. I haven't grown much in the past two years, so I still wear the same ones. They've got panda bears on them."

Sakaki blushed. "Panda..."

"I'm sorry, I'll let you change," muttered Kaorin awkwardly.

Kaorin turned her back shyly as Sakaki changed into her pajamas. When she risked a glance, she saw that the pajamas were Nekokoneko pajama bottoms.

"Those are so cute!" Kaorin glowed.

Sakaki reddened. "You... you think so?"

"Yeah, you look really cute in those!"

Suddenly, Kaorin shrank back in horror, realizing she might be overstepping her bounds with her crush. But before she could withdraw the comment and cover her tracks, Sakaki smiled and said in her soft, husky voice...

...thank you.


	3. Chapter 3

"Goodnight, Sakaki-san," Kaorin whispered, staring up at the ceiling, still in awe that she was actually lucky enough to be having a sleep-over with Sakaki.

"Goodnight, Kaorin," Sakaki answered, her reply muffled beneath a Nekokoneko quilt.

Kaorin lay awake for some time. The inflatable futon was impossibly uncomfortable. Every time she moved even an inch, it squeaked horribly like a dying animal. Maya seemed to have taken to his new surroundings with ease, having drifted off to neko dreamland in the basket of plushies and pillows Sakaki and Kaorin had made for him earlier. Sakaki-san... She was so close and yet she knew nothing of Kaorin's feelings. It was pure agony, the torture of hell itself, that Kaorin's infatuate slept soundly only a foot away, in her own bed. Kaorin decided then and there she would never wash her bedsheets, blankets and pillows ever again.

Sakaki was dreaming of a wondrous land, full of cats and fluffy castles made of pink clouds. She was with Maya, racing through a shimmering field. Two moons twinkled above them as the sun crept below the horizon in the west casting long, orange and purple shadows across the land. A cool midsummer's breeze swept through Sakaki's hair as she ran. It was bliss. She let out a soft sigh.

Sakaki grunted. Kaorin turned and reddened. Sakaki was beautiful when she was asleep. Her soft, elegant features. Her long, silky bangs falling gently across her face. Sakaki's obsessed classmate felt a warm fluttering in her stomach. She curled up into a ball, closing her eyes. Sakaki-san... Sakaki-san... I would give anything...

She envisioned Sakaki's face. The tall, athletic girl leaned in to plant a kiss upon Kaorin's lips. Kaorin recoiled shyly.

"Kaorin-chan..." Sakaki said.

"Sakaki-san..."

The two locked lips, the warm world of Sakaki's mouth causing Kaorin to lose all of her strength.

"Sakaki-san..." she whimpered.

"Please, Kaorin..." came the reply. "Call me... KIIIIIIMMMMUUUURRRRIIINNNNNN!"

Kaorin looked up into the leering face of Kimura-sensei. And screamed.

Kaorin jolted out of bed in a cold sweat, panting.

"Kaorin?"

The girl turned. Sakaki was staring at her.

"Huh? Wha-?" 

"You were talking in your sleep... it... it sounded like a nightmare..."

"I... uh..."

Oh...my...God, thought Kaorin. What if she heard me? What if I said Sakaki-san's name in my sleep?

"That futon must really be uncomfortable," Sakaki observed.

Kaorin sweat-dropped and scratched the back of her head embarassed. "No, it's really ok."

"Are you sure? I could sleep on the futon if you want."

"NO!" cried Kaorin. "No... I mean... you'll be really uncomfortable. I'll... I'll deal with it. I'm sorry I disturbed you..."

Sakaki stared at Kaorin. Kaorin turned and looked at Maya. Maya was staring at her too. She began to feel very uncomfortable.

"Kaorin..."

"What?!"

"Um... do... do you want to share the bed with me? I think it's big enough for both of us..."

Kaorin's head spun around to meet Sakaki's deadpan expression. Clearly, her friend thought nothing of suggesting that they both share a bed together. Like it was a natural thing to do.

"B-b-b-but that... I mean... I couldn't..."

"I don't really mind if you don't," Sakaki added.

Kaorin felt faint. As far as chances to get close to Sakaki-san, this was perhaps the closest she'd ever get. But could she handle it? She'd nearly passed out when she and Sakaki had run the foot race together. This was a lot closer. A lot more intimate. And there was a huge possibility she could be exposed for what she was--more than just a friend, but a secret admirer, a victim of unbridled lust and admiration. She loved Sakaki, but it was a love unrequited. Sharing a bed with Sakaki would be almost cruel. Unfair. She thought for a moment to decline the request, but something deep in her heart, that secret atrium of romantic possibilities she kept so robustly locked away, sparked to life and marshalled her courage.

"I... I don't mind... if Sakaki-san doesn't mind sharing a bed with someone like me..."

Sakaki san shifted over in the bed and pulled the covers aside. Kaorin stood, her knees wobbling, her entire body trembling, her heart pounding in her ears. Sakaki turned over onto her back. Kaorin held her breath and slipped into the bed, hovering as far to the other side of Sakaki as she could, stiff as a board, hands clasped together.

"Th-thank you," Kaorin said.

"There's really no need," said Sakaki. "It's your bed. If you're uncomfortable, I really can sleep on the futon, it's no bother."

"No I'm alright," whispered the other.

There was a silence between the two.

"Kaorin," Sakaki said after a moment.

"Yes?"

"What do you always call me Sakaki-san? With the honorific?"

Kaorin cringed. She really had no answer other than that her staunch admiration of Sakaki would not permit her to view the girl in any less a formal light than denoting her with honorifics. In fact, she secretly wished she could call her Sakaki-sama, but of course, that would expose her for what she was. And what was she anyway? Was it right that she felt so strongly for another girl? Surely if she was discovered, she be called a freak. Her friends would abandon her. Why did she have to be this way? Why was her heart so inexorably drawn to Sakaki? Why?

"You can just call me Sakaki. Or Sakaki-chan... Sakaki-san is so..."

Kaorin waited.

"... so un-cute."

"I'll call Sakaki-sa--...ah...Sakaki-chan... whatever she wishes to be called," Kaorin meeped.

"Then Sakaki-chan will do," said the other. "Goodnight Kaorin."

"Goodnight Sakaki-chan."

They both closed their eyes and waited for whatever dreams may come.

Kaorin awoke to the sound of birds chirping. The golden rays of morning poured into her room like a river of honey. It was a warm spring day. Kaorin rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, looking slowly around the room. Then her eyes saw the futon, where Sakaki lay sleeping. Kaorin yelped. It all came back to her suddenly. Sakaki-san had invited her to share her bed. The two had fallen asleep together. But now, Sakaki was sleeping on the futon. What had happened during the night that she couldn't remember? She was horrified.

"Sa-Sa-Sakaki-san?" Kaorin stammered.

Sakaki rolled over on the futon. Her eyes opened dreamily. "Is it... morning?"

Kaorin propped herself up in bed. "I... uh... why are you sleeping on the futon?"

Sakaki blushed slightly. Kaorin felt her heart freeze.

"Uh..." Sakaki faltered. "You...um...toss and turn when you sleep, Kaorin," she replied. "You kept bumping into me."

"I'M SO SORRY!" Kaorin exclaimed. "I knew I should have slept on the futon! Sakaki-san can you ever forgive me?"

"It's nothing really," Sakaki mumbled, rising out of bed. She cringed, and rubbed at her shoulder. Kaorin watched with sheer terror. Just like she'd imagined, Sakaki's muscles were stiff and sore from the inflatable futon. "And please... don't use the honorific."

"I'm... oh my God I'm so sorry!" said Kaorin. She lept out of bed and knelt beside Sakaki.

"Your back is sore! I'm so sorry. The futon's really uncomfortable and you're much bigger than I am... I... can I massage your back or something?"

"No, really Kaorin, I'm fine," Sakaki assured her. She rose, letting the blanket fall away from her body. "Can I use your shower?"

Kaorin nodded mutely, watching the girl cross the room and disappear into the bathroom. The door closed softly. A moment later, Kaorin heard the water begin to run.

"Sakaki-san's in my shower..." Kaorin whispered, before falling softly onto the futon and closing her eyes, lost in a rather scandalous daydream.

Sakaki and Kaorin walked to school together in silence. It was a beautiful morning. It was one of those days where one can absorb all of the wonders of nature and the elements in the tranquility of solitude. The solitude was broken by Sakaki, who had a big grin on her face.

"Maya really likes your bedroom," she observed.

"He... he does?" Kaorin wondered. "How can you tell?" 

"He told me," Sakaki responded casually. "Your room is very cute... all the cats..." She blushed.

"You really like cats a lot, don't you Sakaki-chan?"

Sakaki nodded. They rounded a street corner where a garbage collection truck was stopped. Two garbage collection men were loading up the back of the vehicle. As they passed the driver's seat, the driver, who appeared in the guise of Chiyo-chichi, waved.

"Yooooo," it said.

At school, Kaorin suffered through the bleak eternity of Kimura's class. It was bad enough that she had class with the lecherous teacher and now he was invading her fantasies of Sakaki as well. She doodled a picture of Sakaki as she imagined the girl was, at that very moment...

...staring out the window, chin in hand, Sakaki looked wistful. The cherry blossoms were in bloom. Perhaps she'd take Maya to the park for a picnic. It was so kind of Kaorin to let Maya stay in her house. How she envied Kaorin, her room, her little paradise of wonders. She honestly wished she could live there forever, just amongst the stuffed animal brigade the girl had collected since childhood. She'd never thought about it, but she supposed Kaorin was somewhat cute herself, in a neurotic, high-strung sort of way. There was also a softness about the girl, a need to please and be liked, that she couldn't wholly understand. That wasn't a surprise, after all. Sakaki had always wanted friends. The need for relationships with other humans was a part of her personality. But always there was something missing, something that left her feeling empty and sad, which others misinterpreted as reticence and coolness. She loved Maya, cats, stuffed animals, and plush dolls, but sometimes she felt as if she surrounded herself with such things to fill a void... a void deep inside herself she could neither recognize nor fill with all of the Nekokonekos in Japan.


	4. Chapter 4

Introduction from the wordsmith:

Thanks to everyone for reading my Azumanga Daioh Sakaki and Kaorin fanfiction. It's been great fun spinning this yarn so far, and I promise, if your devoted readership and great comments continue, I'll keep it going as best I can. I'm extremely pleased that a great many of you approve of how I've kept Kaorin and Sakaki in character. That's extremely important to me while I write this. A few of you commented that Kaorin has kittens (per the manga) but I've taken one liberty here just to add a little petrol to my story vehicle. Earlier in this fiction, Kaorin stated that she'd always been too indecisive about getting her own cat and I thought that her relationship with Sakaki would eventually give her the guster to do so. I hope you all won't be too upset about this slight deviation from the original plot. I do also welcome discussions via email too so don't be bashful! Thanks guys and I can't wait to write more!

Ethan Archer

Yukari-sensei was hard at work at noisily sleeping at her desk, a tendril of drool oozing down her lip. The entire class, unsure of what to do, whispered quietly amongst themselves. Sakaki-san seemed distant as usual, staring out the foggy window and out into the bleary rainy day beyond. Yomi frowned, staring hard at her teacher.

"Maybe we should wake her up," she said. "We should really be discussing the class trip."

"BAKA!" bellowed Tomo, slapping her childhood friend on the top of her head. Yomi winced and instantly began to fume.

"How many times have I told you!" she began, but Tomo cut her off.

"Who cares about a stupid field trip to the Imperial Gardens? It's not like anybody HASN'T actually been there a hundred gazillion times!"

Yomi reddened furiously. "And what if they haven't? Did you think of that?"

Suddenly, Tomo stopped short, looking at Yomi.

"You...you don't mean...?"

Yomi's head drooped slightly.

"Don't even..."

"YEEEEAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" the other girl began to laugh uncontrollably, clutching her stomach and pointing. "Yomi's never been to the Imperial Garden! Baka baka BAAAAKA!"

"You're baka!" Yomi snarled, lashing out and grabbing the giggling berserker girl in a headlock.

Osaka raised her hand slowly.

"I've never been to the Imperial Garden either."

"You're not missing much," Kagura said off-hand. "It's just a bunch of walls, rocks and lillies."

"Rhododendrons," Sakaki mumbled quietly.

"Whatever," said Kagura. She placed her hand on Osaka's shoulder. "If you want to go somewhere interesting, go to the Tsukuji fish market really in the morning and you can watch them cut off the heads of enormous fish. There's blood everywhere. It's so totally cool!"

Sakaki blanched at the comment, turning away, wishing she'd not entered the conversation at all.

"It's not fair that Kimura's class get's to do something cool," Tomo grumbled. "Like go see a sumo match."

Osaka grinned. "I saw a sumo fight once. But it made me hungry because they kept throwing rice everywhere."

"Kaorin's class gets to go see a sumo fight?" Kagura exclaimed. "That's so not fair! Kaorin's real lucky to get to go see that."

"So our class trip will be to go view a sumo match," Kimura finished. His head slowly swivelled to where Kaorin was sitting, a rotation that sounded like old creaking gears. His glasses flashed deviously as his hanging jaw twittered anxiously. "AND I'VE RESERVED TWO SPECIAL SEATS FOR THE FRONT ROW FOR ME AND KAORIN!"

"Gwaaaaah!" shrieked Kaorin, sinking into her seat.

The entire class sweat-dropped.

"How was class today?" Sakaki asked as she and Kaorin walked home together.

Kaorin drudged along, looking sick.

"I hate my life," she muttered.

"Why? What happened?"

"I have to sit next to Kimura-sensei on the field trip."

"But you're getting the chance to see a sumo fight," Sakaki said. "That must be exciting, I guess."

"I'd rather go to the Imperial Garden with you, Sakaki-chan," she replied. "I like flowers. Actually, my mother made me take flower arranging classes when I was younger so I know quite a bit about them."

"I see..."

"Why couldn't I be in your class, Sakaki-chan?"

The tall girl shrugged. "It's what we do after school that matters, I think. We should be studying during school hours anyway, not socializing."

"That's true, I guess," Kaorin conceded. "Sakaki-chan must be really smart and do well on the examinations. Sakaki-chan seems so focused and studious."

Sakaki shook her head. "I have to study a lot. I find it hard to concentrate on things I'm not interested in. Sometimes my mind wanders..."

"Really? I'm like that too... well... I mean... I think about other things when I should be focusing on my lessons... I suppose that's nothing to be proud of... but if Sakaki-chan's like that too, then maybe Kaorin isn't so hopeless after all!"

Sakaki smiled. "Everyone has their strong areas. Chiyo-chan is very intelligent. I study with her and Tadakichi-san usually." She sighed suddenly. "I wish I could be more like Chiyo..."

"M...more like Chiyo-chan? B-but... but why would Sakaki-chan want to be more like Chiyo-chan?"

The breeze took Sakaki's hair, her bangs blowing easily across her face. Kaorin's cheeks burned. Even the wind must be jealous of Sakaki-chan, she thought. She was dazzling no matter where she was. Why would someone so beautiful and so talented want to be more like Chiyo-chan?

"Chiyo-chan is focused and has goals," Sakaki said at length. "She has high hopes and aims for the future. Sometimes, I'm not sure of myself and I have doubts... It... it's always just been that..."

Sakaki faltered.

"What, Sakaki-chan?" Kaorin insisted. "Please go on!"

"Well... Chiyo-chan... is... Chiyo-chan is just so cute and bright... it's like she is a lantern that can light up the world in any darkness."

So poetic, Kaorin thought.

"She can ride on Tadakichi-san's back like a pony..."

Kaorin blushed at the memory of Sakaki coming to her rescue on the white stallion.

"I just... I've always been big," she continued. "Always, even since I was little. Athletic, but I have no interest in sports. All... all I ever wanted... was to be cute..."

Sakaki's eyes began to water. Kaorin swallowed hard and grabbed Sakaki's arm tightly. Sakaki turned, surprised, looking down into Kaorin's sparkling eyes.

"But Sakaki-chan is cute!" Kaorin exclaimed. "I... er... I've always thought you were! I mean... I know so little about you... I've always wanted to learn about you. Everyone at the school thinks you're so cool, and I've always wanted to be closer to the coolness... part of it... I... I don't know... the more I learn about you... what you like... what your hobbies are... you're incredibly cute, Sakaki-chan... and nobody can see it... I... I hope you'll let me see it... I m-mean... I'm nobody special... but I can try my best to understand you as best I can! Please give me that opportunity! Please!"

Sakaki blushed, completely taken aback. Her arm still locked in Kaorin's grip, she stood there, staring incredulously at Kaorin. The wind swirled madly about them both.

It was as if all of the wax had been drained out of her ears. Kaorin's words struck Sakaki with the force of a great typhoon. Sakaki had friends, sure. She did things with her friends, bought them gifts, wrote them cute little cards on their birthdays. But in the end, Sakaki went home at the end of the day to her bastion of plush toys and stuffed animals, alone. Stuffed animals did not talk back when she spoke to them. The Nekokoneko was not warm to the touch. Here before her was a person who genuinely cared about knowing who she was... something even Maya could not provide. The very thought, the idea of such a strong connection, terrified her. Tears began to fall.

"Kaorin... I..."

Kaorin gripped Sakaki's arm tighter. The bigger girl wiped her eyes with her off-hand.

"Sakaki-chan," Kaorin said. "It... it's okay to cry... if you have to... my mom always said that if you don't cry... and you bottle everything up inside... eventually that bottle will become full and crack... and... and I don't want something like that to happen to Sakaki-chan..."

"Kaorin," muttered Sakaki. "Why do you care so much?"

The blood drained from Kaorin's face. This was it, she thought. I'm going to be exposed. Everyone will think I'm a freak. This is the end. Sakaki-chan will never want to see me again. She let Sakaki's arm fall away.

"I... I thought we were friends..." she whispered after a moment, repressing all that whorled inside of her. "Isn't that... isn't that what friends do? Care about each other?"

After a moment, Sakaki smiled. "Yes... yes they do," she agreed. "Lets go home."

Sakaki and Kaorin shared the bed once more. They both lay there, eyes open, each absorbed in their own thoughts.

"I'll try not to roll around in my sleep this time," Kaorin said.

"It's ok," Sakaki replied.

There was another interlude.

"Kaorin?"

"Yes?"

"Why... why didn't you invite me to the astronomy club?"

"Eh...? OH! That... oh... well... um... I... I chickened out I guess... I meant to ask you... but I didn't think you'd be interested in something like that."

Again more silence.

"Can I go with you next time?"

"Go with me where?"

"To the astronomy club meeting. I'd like to see what it's like."

Kaorin felt dizzy with joy. "Yes," she whispered. "I'd like that very much, Sakaki-chan."

"Goodnight Kaorin," said Sakaki.

"Goodnight, Sakaki-chan," Kaorin smiled.

Kimura was absent from Kaorin's dreams that night. The senile gods had perhaps smiled upon her after all.


	5. Chapter 5

Sakaki's eyelids fluttered. The ethereal light of morning flooded her field of vision. She rose up in bed and looked around the room. Kaorin's room. Maya slept peacefully in his closet kingdom. It was strange, thought Sakaki. This was the second night she had spent at Kaorin's house and yet she already felt so at home. Truthfully, she wanted to stay longer but she didn't know how to ask Kaorin. Kaorin might think it was an imposition or grow tired of having her around all the time. She knew eventually she'd have to go and sleep back in her own room alone. But she, like her Iriomote wild cat, had become so quickly acclimated to Kaorin's house and she clasped her hands and smiled as a fluffy thought entered her mind, herself garbed in a Nekokoneko outfit. If only she could be Kaorin's pet, then she could stay there forever. She blushed deeply. She looked casually at the clock.

[10:35am

Sakaki leapt out of bed, panting.

"Oh no! I'm so late, how could I have--?"

Suddenly the door to the bedroom opened and Kaorin walked in dressed in a frilly pink apron, holding a silver tray. Upon it, a small breakfast of cereal, a rice omelette, diced fruit, and orange juice had been arranged. Sakaki drank in the sight and her jaw dropped. She had to admit, Kaorin looked incredibly cute standing in the doorway wearing that apron and her cat slippers. Kaorin grinned amiably. Sakaki gripped the bed linens tightly, blushing furiously.

"I... Kaorin?"

"I made you breakfast in bed, Sakaki-chan. It's nothing special... but I did my best! I hope you'll like it."

Sakaki shook her head, nonplussed.

"We're late for school!" she blurted.

Kaorin shook her head. "It's the weekend, silly." She padded across the room and handed the tray to Sakaki. The long-haired girl took it carefully.

"I'm sorry," Sakaki said. "I... I haven't been keeping track of things lately."

"It's no problem," Kaorin said, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Your friends called, actually. They were wondering if you and Maya would like to go with them to the park today. They're going to go cherry blossom watching."

Sakaki, who by now had regained at least some of her usual composure, nodded curtly.

"I see... That sounds nice."

"But eat up!" Kaorin beamed. "Eating a good breakfast is really important, especially for someone as strong and robust as you. And don't worry, Maya already ate. It looks to me like he's sleeping it off too."

Sakaki nodded, cutting a wedge of the omelette and forking it into her mouth. She chewed, and her eyes widened.

"Kaorin... this... it's really good."

Kaorin reddened. "No... it's nothing really..."

"No seriously," Sakaki insisted. "Where did you learn to cook?"

"Recipie books mostly," the smaller girl said bashfully. "I collect them. I like to cook. I especially enjoy baking. I'm in the bakery club too..."

Sakaki nodded. "You're in a lot of clubs, Kaorin... that's pretty admirable."

"You think so, Sakaki-chan?"

"Yes. I wouldn't be able to find the time for all that and still keep my studies up. You're pretty talented I think."

Kaorin's cheeks took on a rosy hue. "Well... if Sakaki-chan thinks so..."

Maya awoke to the smell of Sakaki's breakfast and scampered over to the bed. He hopped up onto the mattress, sniffed Kaorin, then began to rub his chin against the girl's knee while purring.

"He likes you," Sakaki observed.

"Do you think so, Sakaki-chan?"

"Yes," she nodded. "I think when Maya goes back to Chiyo's eventually you should finally get those cats you wanted."

"I don't know," Kaorin muttered. "But maybe if Sakaki-chan helped me decide, then maybe I could do that."

Sakaki smiled. Kaorin's indecisiveness reminded her much of herself when she was younger and more insecure. She was still insecure now, but when she was in junior high, she'd been the most awkward girl in her class. Kaorin was like Sakaki on three year delay.

"Eat up," Kaorin said. "I'm going to go work on my astrology club project."

"Kaorin," Sakaki called after her.

"Yes?"

"Would you like to come with us today? To the park?"

Kaorin folded her hands in her lap and flushed. "You wouldn't mind?"

Sakaki shook her head. "You're more than welcome to come... usually we have Chiyo-chan with us. I can't think of a better replacement." She smiled warmly.

Kaorin grinned. "I would love to accompany Sakaki-chan," she agreed.

"Well that sucks that you gotta sit next to that creep Kimura," Kagura was saying. "But I think that's still pretty darn cool you'll be in the front row."

"Well, I guess so," Kaorin said, scratching her head in embarassment.

"I always wondered," Osaka mused slowly. "What kind of rice they throw at the sumo matches. Is it white rice? Is it long grain? Would it make a good onigiri?"

"I don't know about the rice," Tomo smirked, "but I'm sure Yomi can sympathisize with the wrestlers. Both of them follow strict diets that yield the same results!"

Yomi grabbed Tomo's face and stretched it. "Why you little brat! I oughtta!"

"It's too bad Chiyo isn't here," Kagura said suddenly. "Missing all the cherry blossoms. I know cherry blossom watching is one of her favorite things to do."

"She's having fun in America," Tomo shrugged. "I'll bet she even gets to see the Tower of Libery."

"Statue of Liberty, you moron," Yomi murmured.

"BUUURAAAAVOOOO! BUUURAAAAVOOOO!"

The group turned to find Yukari-sensei clapping. Beside her stood Nyamo, looking mortified that her friend was making such a scene.

"At least someone pays attention during English class," Yukari glared at Tomo.

Tomo waved her hand absently. "It's no big deal," the girl quipped. "I'd rather go sailing in the Grand Canyon then see the tower anyway."

The entire group sweat dropped.

"What are you doing here, Yukari-sensei?" Kagura asked.

Suddenly, their teacher whipped out a giant bottle of sake.

"Me and Nyamo are gonna go wallow in self pity at living the single life and down this bottle of sake."

"WE ARE NOT!" shrieked Nyamo, her voice shrill. "Hehe, students, really, it's nothing like that. It's cherry blossom watching season after all."

"But... then... why the sake?" Tomo countered.

"Would you like some?" Yukari teased. "There's more where this came from!"

Nyamo hit Yukari over the head. "What are you, stupid? Those are our students! You can't offer them sake!"

The obnoxious English teacher frowned. "Well aren't you the spoil sport, Nyamo."

"Chiizu," said a voice from the side.

All eyes panned to the left where Kimura-sensei quickly snapped a polaroid of the group.

"AAAAH!" the girls shrieked.

"Why I oughtta bust that camera," Kagura growled, rolling up her sleeves.

"My, how do I love the spring uniforms," Kimura cooed lasciviously.

The girls reddened and pulled their skirts down as far as they could.

"Oh, honey," said Kimura's wife coming up alongside him. "You're so blunt sometimes! If you'd like, I still have my uniform from when I was in high school..."

Dark squiggly spirit lines wiggled behind the entire group who for the moment as horrifying visions raced through their young, innocent minds, were dragged through the terrifying mire of Buddhist hell.

Yukari and Nyamo sweat-dropped.

"Well if that isn't the most disturbing thing I've heard all year," Yukari grimaced.

"Sometimes I really wonder about Kimura-san," Nyamo replied bleakly.

"It's best not to," said Yukari.

Tomo, Yomi and Kagura went kite flying, and Sakaki remained under one of the cherry blossom trees, gazing up through the pink-white latticework of the tree's branches and up into the blue sky. Kaorin returned a moment later with strawberry shortcake icecream cones.

"This is for you, Sakaki-chan," Kaorin said. "I thought it kind of fit with the season."

Sakaki nodded. "Thank you."

"It's really pretty here," Kaorin observed. "This is the first time I've really noticed it."

"Spring is my favorite season," said Sakaki absently. "Flowers are reborn. Life begins anew."

Kaorin gazed longingly at Sakaki. It was also the season of love, she thought to herself. The season of confessions, troubled hearts and unrequited feelings.

"Valentine's Day is coming up," Kaorin said quietly. "Have... have you thought of anyone you'd like to give chocolate to?"

Sakaki shook her head. "I haven't given it much thought..."

"I see..."

There was an awkward silence, broken when Sakaki amended her previous statement.

"I don't think about things like that much. I... I suppose I'm not interested in anything like that. I've never received any chocolate on White Day either, so it isn't really a big deal."

Kaorin gasped. "I can't believe that, Sakaki-chan..."

"Can't believe what?"

"That nobody would buy you chocolate. You're such a good person... not to mention absolutely beautiful."

She'd said it before she'd realized it, and regretted it instantly. She clamped her hands over her mouth, blushing furiously. Sakaki bristled, her cheeks burning. Her eyes remained locked on the clouds rolling by.

"I... I mean... ah... that..."

"It... it's okay..." Sakaki said.

"It was just an observation. I didn't mean anything by it," Kaorin insisted. "I just can't believe that nobody would buy you anything. You're popular with everyone."

"Kaorin I've been meaning to ask you something..."

The poor girl's heart pounded like a temple bell in her chest.

"...would it be alright if... if I stayed at your house longer?"

"Wh...what?"

"Well in the beginning I just wanted to make sure Maya got settled," said Sakaki. "And I've done that. But... but I..."

"Sakaki-chan?"

"...I really do enjoy hanging out with you and Maya... and your room is great..."

Kaorin's entire body went numb. Was... was Sakaki-chan confessing that she liked spending time with her? Could... could it truly be that Sakaki-chan wanted to become Kaorin's friend too? Kaorin's mind raced a mile a minute with thoughts, possibilities, and inevitably fantasies.

"If it's alright with you of course... I don't want to impose..."

Kaorin struggled to shake her head. "It... it's alright..."

"You're sure?"

Kaorin nodded dumbly. "I... I was actually hoping you'd stay longer. I like hanging out with Sakaki-chan too... I don't have many friends of my own..."

Sakaki's gaze fell upon Kaorin. Kaorin felt the magical power that Sakaki posessed completely envelop her. She was helpess, caught in Sakaki's vice grip like an insect in a venus fly trap. There was no escape. She was so desperately ensorcelled with Sakaki she would do anything for her. Anything in the entire world.

"Kaorin... I-" Sakaki began, but was interrupted.

"Sakaki!" Kagura called, trotting up to them. "Come give this kite a try! It's great fun! You've just gotta try it!"

"Mm," Sakaki assented, and stood up. She glanced at Kaorin briefly, before following Kagura off into the field.

Kaorin leaned back against the tree breathlessly, her entire body shaking. What had begun as a simple favor for Sakaki had turned into the greatest gift of all. A real friendship with the girl of her dreams. She wanted so much more, but at least it was a beginning. Where things would lead only the senile gods above could know. But she knew that as she was, Sakaki would never accept her. She was weak-willed, frantic and average. Sakaki-chan deserved much better. But in only two days, an acquaintance had matured into a friend. Kaorin could only imagine what then could a friend become, like a cherry blossom in the spring, a beautiful bud that could bloom into the perfect blossom.


	6. Chiyochichi Kabuki Theatre 1

OOOOO  
The Chiyo-chichi Kabuki Theatre! Part One!

The yellow cat floats, hovering in the darkness. His glow is enough to illuminate all of Tokyo in a brownout.

Chiyochichi: Although I am not a real cat, I feel I am still qualified to be the narrator. INSERT STRANGE GROAN NOISE Some of you may be wondering why I am here and why I am interrupted the natural flow of the story, but the author feels that it is important that a writer be connected with his reader, and I agree. As you know, my daughter is in America touring colleges.

VISUAL OF CHIYO GLOBTROTTING ACROSS THE NORTH AMERICAN CONTINENT, A RED DOTTED LINE FOLLOWING HER EVERYWHERE SHE GOES

Chiyo: Yay! I'm in America!

Chiyochichi: Do not be alarmed. Tadakichi is staying with relatives and he wishes to say hello to the readers as well. But alas, since he is a dog, he cannot. So I will pass your greetings on to him.

KIMURA WALKS IN FROM THE BACKGROUND, TURNS, MOUTH AGAPE AS USUAL, STARING AT CHIYOCHICHI

Kimura: Eeeeeeeeeeh...

Chiyochichi: So far, Sakaki has decided to room with Kaorin while my daughter is away. That way, her Iriomote Mountain Cat, has a place to stay. To differentiate, Maya is believed to be a REAL cat. It would appear as though I am only an imposter.

CHIYOCHICHI TURNS DARK RED AND BEGINS TO TREMBLE.

Kimura: Eh?

CHIYOCHICHI LAUNCHES HIMSELF LIKE A ROCKET INTO KIMURA.

Kimura: GWAAAAAAH!

YOMI IS GIVING THE DAILY WEATHER REPORT ON THE TELEVISION. CHIYOCHICHI FLOATS ACROSS THE TELEVISION SCREEN BEHIND HER.

Yomi: And today we're looking at a bright and sunny day. Many people will lose weight and diet pills will finally be effective. And now back to you, Kagura.

Kagura: Kagura Kuwashima here, lead anchor of the Bonklers News Network! Since our narrator seems to have exploded, I'll be taking over from here. Recently, as you may know, Sakaki moved in with Kaorin who has a massively obvious crush on Sakaki so her cat would have somewhere to stay.

Tomo: Yeah, it's pretty massive.

Kagura: I agree, Bonklers Number Two. Anyway, Sakaki decided to shack up with Kaorin the whole time until Chiyo got back from America so they've been spending a lot of time together. They've even started sleeping in the same bed actually!

YUKARI RUNS ONTO THE SCREEN

Yukari: Ooooh! Sexy!

NYAMO WALKS IN BEHIND HER AND HITS HER ON THE HEAD WITH A MANGA

Nyamo: Baka.

Kagura: Anyway, they spent a day together in the park. We have live coverage from that event. Osaka?

FIELD CORRESPONDENT OSAKA STARES AT THE CAMERA BLANKLY FOR 30 SECONDS

Osaka: They said it was rolling, but it's not rolling.

Kagura: Could you tell us about Sakaki and Kaorin's little park outing, Bonklers Number Three?

Osaka: Yes. As you can see, Kaorin and Sakaki are sitting under a tree. 

Tomo: Are they K-I-S-S-I-N-G?

Osaka: No, because Kagura interrupted them when things were just getting interesting, as is the nature of shoujo-ai stories. Back to you, Bonklers Number One.

Kagura: I see, yes well, I suppose that was my fault. HEHE! Anyway, I apologize for this totally unrelated madness and I hope you don't hate the author for writing it, but since we have five chapters already, he thought a synopsis would be necessary. But we're kinda too incompetant to do it right, so I hope it made sense to you.

KAGURA LEAPS OVER THE NEWS DESK AND ROUNDHOUSE KICKS THE CAMERA

THE VIDEO FEED GOES DEAD

OOOOO


	7. Chapter 6

It was a beautiful, listless, lazy Sunday morning. The sky was an endless expanse of glistening cobalt. The only clouds in the sky were the vapor trails left by planes coasting upon the thermals high up in the stratosphere. Birds chirped. Children played. Kaorin extended her legs, pushing back the swing so that she could see the enormity of the heavens. Were the senile gods watching her at this very moment, she wondered.

Perhaps not the gods, but certainly her friend Chihiro who sat on the swing opposite, sipping a soda.

"Kaorin, you seem really happy. Something good happen lately?"

"Gaaaaah!" Kaorin sighed dreamily, closing her eyes.

"Um... what?"

The other girl grinned, running her hand through her hair.

"I've had company lately," she said after a moment.

"Oh?" Chihiro wondered. "Maybe that's why I haven't seen you at all lately. Who is it?"

"Sakaki-chan," Kaorin nearly floated off the swingset in jubilation. "She's staying at my house."

"Really?" Chihiro said, scratching her cheek wondrously. "Are you tutoring her or something?"

"Really, Chihiro, are you stupid or something?" Kaorin laughed. "Me, tutor Sakaki? That's really funny."

"Well I dunno," countered Chihiro defensively. "Why is she staying at your house then?"

"I'm looking after her cat until Chiyo gets back next weekend so she asked if she could stay with me until then."

"Well that's neat I guess, if it's not too inconvenient," Chihiro replied, nursing her soda in her hands. "I didn't even know Sakaki had a cat. She doesn't seem the type."

"She's alot different than you think," Kaorin said proudly as if she alone possessed a fantastic secret. "She's so great!"

Chihiro stared at Kaorin. "You're weird, you know that Kaori?"

Kaorin shrieked inwardly. The warm weather, the beautiful day, the intoxicating feeling of a budding friendship had caused her to lower her guard. Was she being really obvious about her affection for Sakaki? Would Chihiro see through her guise like a thin veil of fog evaporating with the morning mist?

"W-w-weird? Weird how?" Kaorin blabbered.

"You barely know the girl and you talk about her like you've been friends for ever. You don't talk about me like that and I've known you for like... well, for like ever."

Kaorin reddened. "Chihiro you know you're my best friend, right?"

The other nodded. "Yeah."

"I don't want you to think of Sakaki as my new best friend."

"I don't."

"Ok."

"Ok."

There was a very awkward silence during which only the chirping of birds and the sipping of soda could be heard.

"So where is Sakaki now?" Chihiro asked finally.

"She went back home. She had homework and studying to do and she thought it would be best if she did her studying there."

Chihiro nodded. "Yeah. Most of her books were probably there anyway. Have you ever been over Sakaki's house?"

Kaorin wondered suddenly. Point of fact, she hadn't. She didn't know where Sakaki lived. Even if she did, she'd die of heart failure before stepping one foot inside Sakaki-chan's inner sanctum. Although she felt the door to her world was like a sliding paper door, she staunchly believed Sakaki-chan's world was protected by a giant, cast-iron portcullis that was nigh-impenetrable. It was the rare glimpse of the fascinating world beyond that gate that tortured Kaorin so, made her want to keep trying to chip away at the stonework until something gave and the radiance within escaped out into the world for everyone to feel and enjoy. Beneath that lone wolf reticence was a soft and elegant beauty that was still but a seedling, waiting for the right gardener to plant it, water it, and love it as it grew. Could Kaorin ever be that person? Was it even within the realm of possibility?

"No I haven't," Kaorin answered after a moment of pondering. "I don't think Sakaki-chan would like that anyway."

"Why not? Have you asked her?"

Kaorin shook her head.

"Well do you know where she lives?"

Nodding, Kaorin blushed. "I asked Chiyo-chan once... but I chickened out and never went."

"Really, Kaorin," Chihiro wondered, half to herself. "I don't know why you get all flustered over this girl. She's in our class. It's not like she has any kind of seniority or anything. Sure she's popular, I guess, but she's quiet and doesn't talk much. She doesn't really seem all that special to me."

If you only knew, thought Kaorin.

"I think you should pay her a surprise visit today," Kaorin proclaimed.

Kaorin gasped. "GWAH! What?!"

"I think you should go stop by her house. It would be good for your self confidence. Just go drop by and ask if she'd like to go out shopping for chocolates for Valentines Day."

"WHAT?! Chihiro I couldn't do something like that!"

"Sure you could. Want me to go with you?" 

"NOOOO!"

"Then go," Kaorin's friend urged. "It's a beautiful day and a good day for walking. Here, in fact, I have a coupon for a chocolate shop in Ginza. Take it."

Kaorin, body-blushing from head to toe, shook her head quickly from side to side.

"No, really, Chihiro--"

"I insist," said the other. "C'mon it'll be fun. You'll get to see her house too."

Kaorin trembled, taking the coupon and tucking it tightly into her handbag.

"You really are weird," Chihiro giggled. "Now go!"

Kaorin stood up, swivelled one hundred eighty degrees, and marched off stiff as a wooden soldier without saying a word. Chihiro smiled and waved after her.

"Good luck!" she shouted.

Sakaki stared at herself in the mirror. She had lied to Kaorin about having homework to finish up, but she'd had to get away and get her thoughts in order. And her thoughts were in chaos. Before going to Kaorin's house, her life had been simple. Daydream her way through school, then rush home with Chiyo and spend the late afternoon being tutored by the resident class genius and enjoy carefree evenings with Maya. That was it. That was the extent of her existence. No worries. No responsibilites. No real human connections.

Sakaki connected to animals more than humans. That was a fact she'd accepted when she was a child. Animals were innocent, naive, and loyal--all things most people were not. People were cruel, opinionated, prejudiced, and, most importantly, for the most part not cute. Animals, in a way, lived in a world of ideals, free spirits, and strong bonds. Sakaki wished she herself could be one of those animals, but she lacked exactly that which was requisite for being an animal. She was not cute. She didn't really have any ideals of her own. Her spirit was hardly free, governed by domineering parents. And she had no bonds. None at all. Or at least she hadn't...

Kaorin. Why did this girl take such an interest in Sakaki? What did Kaorin see in Sakaki that made the girl try so hard to connect, reach out. Sakaki wasn't any of those things that Kaorin adorned her room with. She wasn't a cute stuffed animal, a huggable plush toy, or a Nekokoneko (which was desirable for obvious reasons). Then what was it? And more importantly, why did Sakaki want to reciprocate her efforts with every fiber of her heart. Yet she couldn't. She didn't know how? She had lived the "lone wolf" reputation for so long she had almost begun to believe it herself. Her trademark diffidence had almost become ingrained into her personality.

Tears began to fall. Sakaki sobbed, covering her face with her hands.

"I... I w-want to be her friend," she cried.

It had been a while since Sakaki had truly wept. The last time had been when the girls had gotten into a discussion about breast size. The then-absurdly-self-conscious Sakaki had quickly excused herself, disappeared into the bathroom, and broke down in tears. Now the twin rivers of sorrow had burst the dam of emotionlessness once more.

"Kaorin... why?" Sakaki sniffed. "Why do you... why do you care?"

Sakaki turned from the mirror and wiped her eyes. She regained her composure.

You're being ridiculous, she told herself. She's only being nice to you like any other friend would. That's what friends are about anyway, right? Suddenly, she recalled the moment in the park when Kaorin had grabbed her arm as if letting go meant the end of the world. It was a grip that belied some deeper attraction. But what?

"Baka!" Sakaki grunted, snatching her handbag and deciding to go on a walk to clear her head.

The tall athletic girl took the stairs in threes, arriving with a soft, grounded thump at her front door. She opened it.

Kaorin stood, poised to knock on the door, her mouth agape. Sakaki's jaw dropped.

"Uh... er... that," Kaorin stammered. "I... I was wondering if... if maybe Sakaki-chan would like to go shopping with Kaorin," she said in her most bashful and humble voice, her eyes locked on her shoes.

Sakaki was rigid for several long moments before her eyes misted up once more.

"Kaorin," she said softly.

Then she did the unexpected. Placing her handbag down upon the doorstep, Sakaki stepped forward, and embraced Kaorin with a hug.


	8. Chapter 7

Author's Commentary:

So apparently, I didn't get flooded with hate mail for doing the Chiyo-chichi Kabuki theatre, which I'm very pleased to announce. Thank you all again for reading the story so far and I greatly appreciate your comments and support. I'll try to write as much as I can in the next week and a half because I'll be leaving for Baltimore shortly thereafter for Otakon. Maybe I'll see some of you there!

p.s. For those who asked me why I sub-listed this story as angst, the end of this chapter might offer a foreboding glimpse as to why.

Sakaki took Kaorin into her arms, hugging her friend.

It took a moment before Kaorin even registered what had happened. Then, her skin color changed immediately from her usual pale complexion to brick red.

"Sa...Sa...Sa..."

Sakaki blushed deeply, releasing Kaorin. She took a step back and looked to the side, embarassed.

"Um... I..."

Birds chipped merrily around them. Kaorin stood, knees wobbling, feeling faint. She began to sway.

"Sakaki-chan... I..."

Then she collapsed.

Kaorin awoke to the sound of soft humming. She sat up and looked around. Unfamiliar ceiling. Unfamiliar room. This...

Sakaki walked back into the room, singing softly. She noticed Kaorin who, blushing furiously, pulled the blankets of Sakaki's bed up to her chin.

"Um..." Kaorin whispered.

"You passed out," Sakaki explained. "I didn't know what to do so I carried you upstairs and just let you rest. Are you feeling okay?"

Kaorin's mind immediately went to work, envisioning the gallant Sakaki-chan garbed in shining armor carrying her, dressed like the damsel in distress, up the steps of a tall tower and into a bedroom for a steamy session of...

GWAAAAH! Kaorin suddenly became aware of herself. She wasn't even sure what had happened. The last thing she could remember was...

"Sakaki-chan..."

"Yeah?"

"Did you... why did you... hug me?"

Sakaki stared at Kaorin. Although her face was deadpan, it was obvious she was struggling to put something into words.

"I don't know," she said finally. "I guess... I don't know... I was feeling a little lonely maybe... I opened the door and there you were... I didn't mean anything by it. I didn't freak you out, did I?"

"NOOOOO!" Kaorin yelped. "I mean... no you didn't freak me out or anything. I mean it was just a hug, right? Haha! Friends hug each other all the time, don't they?"

"I guess..."

The magnitude of the awkward silence that ensued was exacerbated by the fact that Kaorin noticed her bag of items that Sakaki had placed upon her desk, one item being her private notebook. OMIGOD, shrieked Kaorin. She knows! She'll hate me! She'll never want to see me ever again! Wait, Sakaki-chan's not nosy. Maybe she didn't read it. Maybe she just put it on the desk. I'm being presumptuous! I have to give her the benefit of the doubt! GAAAAAAH!

"Sakaki..."

"Mm?"

"Did you...uh... well you see... you didn't happen to... um... accidentally read anything in my notebook, did you?"

Sakaki's face looked pained. "You mean snoop through your things?"

"HAHA! NO! Nothing like that... I just..."

"No, I didn't," she said.

Kaorin sighed with relief.

"Only this," Sakaki added. "It fell out of your notebook. I didn't...um... know where it went... so I thought I'd ask you later when you were feeling better..."

Sakaki walked over to the desk and held up a full page sketch Kaorin had done of Sakaki. The drawing depicted Sakaki in her usual position, sitting at her desk, staring out the window pensively. Kaorin's heart sank. Exposed, once and for all. She'd have to come clean for sure. But would Sakaki... COULD Sakaki possibly understand how she felt?

"Did you draw it?" Sakaki asked.

Kaorin could only nod mutely.

"It's really good," the other observed. "You really are talented..."

When Kaorin didn't think she could blush and deeper, she did.

"You... you think so, Sakaki-chan? I mean, it's nothing really, I just get bored in class a lot! Hahaha! Ha."

"No really," Sakaki insisted. "I'm really surprised. Um... may I... may I keep it?"

The golden field of flowers filled Kaorin's mind. Churchbells rang. Military fighter jets soared overhead spewing rainbow jet trails.

"I... haha... eeeh... I drew it for you," Kaorin muttered sheepishly.

"For... me?"

Kaorin nodded. "God I feel like such an idiot."

Sakaki's brow furrowed. "Why?"

"Sakaki-chan... you... I've idolized you for so long... and I can't even be honest with you about it."

"I know," the long-haired girl replied.

"You do?"

"Mm. I guess I've known for a while."

Kaorin looked mortified. "For...for...for... how long?"

"Well... there was the summer trip to Chiyo-chan's house... you seemed to spend a lot of time around me and took my picture a lot."

"HAHAHA!" Kaorin laughed nervously, sweat dropping predictably.

"There was the athletics festival during the foot race. You just seemed... like... really happy that we raced together."

"Eeeeeeeeh..."

"And then I heard Yomi mention once that you specifically requested prints from one of the other summer vacation trip..."

"Omigod they were talking about that?"

Sakaki looked at Kaorin dead on. "Kaorin, I don't know what it is you like about me so much. I don't know if I should be flattered, embarassed, or creeped out. Maybe I'm all of those things. I'm a little confused right now. I don't know why you hadn't ever spoken to me earlier. But I think a good place to start would be the truth, since we're becoming friends after all."

"I... I was afraid you wouldn't like me," Kaorin admitted.

"Why... why wouldn't I like you?" Sakaki wondered.

"Sakaki-chan is so cool and popular, and Kaorin is just spastic and hyper and mediocre," the other replied in third person.

"That's not true," rebuked the long-haired girl. "You're a great artist. You're good at cooking, and you're really knowledgeable about astronomy and flowers too. That's got to count for something."

"Maybe if you say so," Kaorin muttered quietly.

"Kaorin."

"Yes?"

"Why did you come to see me today?"

"Um... I..."

Sakaki moved across the room and sat upon the bed. Kaorin's cheeks burned.

"I wanted to ask if you'd go shopping for Valentine's Day with me."

Sakaki smiled. "Is there someone Kaorin's going to buy chocolates for?"

"Y...yes..."

"Who is he?" Sakaki asked. "Do I know him?"

"No."

"Mystery man," said Sakaki. "Does this person like cats? I have cat stationary if you want to write him a card."

Clearly, she just didn't get it at all. Sakaki-chan had been so insistent not to pry into the depths of Kaorin's heart, but rather to solidify a friendship. At that moment, Kaorin knew an indelible line had been drawn, one that would forever keep her truest and most honest feelings locked safe and deep within her soul. Sakaki was trying. She was trying really hard. But Kaorin began to realize that Sakaki could perhaps never give her what it was she truly wanted. No gift of chocolates, kitten paraphernalia, or even friendship, would ever equal the gift of love. And that was all that Kaorin wanted. She had begun to learn about Sakaki. And what she had learned had surprised her greatly, caused the yearning to burn even brighter. And it was tearing her apart. She would either have to come clean soon or disappear from Sakaki's life forever.


	9. Chapter 8

Author's Note: Well, I've been stringing everyone along this far, so as promised, the story starts to pick up from here. I hope you all still keep reading. I'm going to Otakon in a few days, so I'm not sure when I'll be able to update. Don't hate me! I'll keep writing, I swear! In the meantime, enjoy the latest installment!

Sakaki walked quietly to Kaorin's house, mulling things over in her mind. The events that had transpired the past few days were like a wine, and she had only just tested the bouquet. She had yet to taste the fruit of the vintage. Sakaki had never really known Kaorin. They were two acquaintances whos paths had crossed from time to time. It had always been clear to Sakaki that Kaorin admired her. There were, after all, plenty of signs. The photographs, the summer trip, and the athletics festival: all had been telltale signs of Kaorin's affection. But was it normal to have an affection for someone you barely knew? Where was the line between admiration and obsession drawn? Kaorin and Sakaki were almost in two completely different worlds. Or so it had seemed. Over the past few days, Sakaki had discovered that Kaorin and she shared many things in common, hobbies that were easily grounds for a friendship. Then why did Kaorin's presence make Sakaki feel so uneasy? Was Kaorin a threat to her aura of cool, an aura she felt she needed to perpetuate? Or had Kaorin already pierced the aura, explaining why Sakaki finally felt she could be herself around someone. That was, after all, the reason she had inexplicably hugged Kaorin, wasn't it? She'd never hugged anyone like that before, except Maya. Was Kaorin like Maya? Had a transference occured between the two friends that caused Sakaki to project her love of animals into a human being? It was all so terribly confusing.

Arriving at Kaorin's house, Sakaki took a deep breath and knocked on the door. Once and for all, she'd make sense of everything. She'd face Kaorin and lay it all out on the table. Things needed explaining.

To Sakaki's surprise, Kaorin's mother opened the door.

"Um... I..."

"You must be Kaorin's new friend, Sakaki," the woman said with a smile. "Kaorin talks about you constantly. It's like she has a crush or something. I wish she'd talk about boys the way she talks about you."

Sakaki blushed deeply. "I... I see..."

"Well come in," the woman said. "Would you like some tea?"

Sakaki nodded and followed the woman inside.

"My name is Rei," the woman said, moving to the stove. "So are you in the same class as Kaorin? Is that how you two know each other?"

Sakaki sat down at the table, folding her hands. "We used to be."

"You know, Kaorin can be difficult to understand sometimes," Rei said, rummaging through the cabinets. "Ever since she entered high school, she's changed a lot. But she's a good girl. I just wish I could connect to her more sometimes. Do you take sugar, Sakaki-chan?"

"Yes."

The woman brought Sakaki a cup of tea and placed the sugar cup before her. She sat opposite Sakaki.

"Kaorin was right," Rei said, studying the girl.

"I'm sorry?" 

"She said you were quite the beauty."

Sakaki sweat dropped.

"Are both your parents Japanese, Sakaki-chan? You seem very mature for a Japanese girl your age."

"My father's from Yokohama," Sakaki replied. "My mother was born in Okinawa."

"Okinawa," Rei said curiously. "Must be quite a story to be told, that one."

"Mm..."

Sakaki sipped the tea. "Thank you for letting my cat stay in your house," she said suddenly.

"Oh it's no problem, really," Rei responded. "Kaorin's wanted a cat for quite some time. This is a good indicator if she's responsible enough to handle one."

"So you're testing her?"

"In a way," answered Kaorin's mother. "Kaorin's growing up. She has to learn to make choices on her own. But it's not wrong for a mother to watch over her, even from the sidelines, is it?"

"No, I don't think that's wrong," Sakaki replied. "Kaorin's lucky to have you."

"I'm happy to hear you say that, Sakaki-chan," said Rei. "I only wish Kaorin would appreciate me more. I try to make her happy, but she seems unhappy a lot of the time."

"Unhappy?"

Rei sighed, placing her chin on her hand. "When Kaorin was little, her life was just stuffed animals and cute little plush toys and things. You know? But little girls grow out of that kind of thing eventually, right? Kaorin... ah... I suppose she was a little slow in that area. She never went outside to play with the other girls. Never had many friends."

"What about Chihiro?" 

"She met Chihiro in elementary school. Chihiro was Kaorin's first friend. And I'm glad for that because Chihiro is very understanding and patient with Kaorin's oddities."

"I see."

"Because Kaorin was always living in her fantasy world in her room, we worried that she would find it hard to adapt to the real world when that time came. We worried she might not be able to connect to other human beings."

"I understand," Sakaki replied. "I... I'm very much that same way."

"From what I hear, you're quite popular at school," Rei countered. "Quite the social butterfly."

"Not really," said the other. "People just like me naturally, but I don't really talk much or participate. I have a few good friends... that's all I need really."

"I see," said Rei, sipping her tea. "No boyfriend? It's Valentine's Day coming up."

"No," answered Sakaki dully.

"I guess it's a new generation," Kaorin's mother sighed. "Why in my day, at your age, it was all about hooking up. We talked about nothing else."

"Things are more... complicated," Sakaki answered.

"Yes, I suppose."

"What does Kaorin say about me?" 

Rei eyed Sakaki carefully.

"You know, Kaorin has seemed to open up to you a lot faster than she does to must people... even her best friend Chihiro."

"I'm not so sure..."

"Why do you say that? You've been sleeping over almost every night this week. That's pretty gutsy a thing to do as far as Kaorin goes. Chihiro rarely ever spends the night here."

"Really?"

"Mm hm. You don't find that unusual?"

Sakaki stared into her tea cup.

"You know, Sakaki, I'm not sure how exactly you're able to make such an impact on Kaorin, but by all means, I don't want you to stop. If you're the one that can help Kaorin come out of her shell, then you have my blessings. Hell, I've tried everything a mother can to make her more assertive, but she's so shy and unwilling to face the music. Whatever you're doing, please keep doing it. But be careful, Kaorin is very fragile. Be a good friend to her. If she talks to you, listen. As Kaorin's mother, this is all that I ask of you in return for letting your cat stay here."

"I understand," Sakaki nodded. "Where is Kaorin, by the way?" 

"She went out shopping," Rei answered. "Something about Valentine's Day. Maybe she really does have someone in her heart. Anyway, you're more than welcome to go up and wait in her room if you'd like."

"Ok, thank you," Sakaki replied, rising and heading off to Kaorin's room.

Sakaki closed the door behind her, and looked over Kaorin's room. Maya came padding out of the closet and brushed up against her leg. Sakaki knelt down and stroked the Iriomote mountain cat gently, scratching behind his ears.

"Mommy's here," she whispered.

Sakaki looked at Kaorin's desk. Kaorin's notebook was sitting upon it as if it had recently been examined. Sakaki walked across the room and sat down at Kaorin's desk.

"Maybe I shouldn't," she mumbled, half to herself, half to Maya. The cat purred contentedly. "But it may help me to understand," she said.

Sakaki opened the journal. And read the first entry.

'Today was a great day. I got a 92 on my English exam. My mom said that if I got above a 90, she'd give me money to buy a Valentine's Day gift with. I've been doing my research, and I think that Sakaki-san would really like something shaped like a cat. Her favorite is vanilla, so maybe white chocolate with nuts would be a good present.'

Sakaki's eyes widened. "Wh...what?"

'Even if I don't give it to her and I chicken out like all the other times, at least I'll have bought her a present finally. I studied really hard for the test, and I think that thinking of Sakaki-san and how beautiful she is helped me pass.'

Sakaki's lip began to tremble.

'Sakaki-san doesn't know it, but I think she's given me the courage to get my own cat. Sakaki-san likes cats and I do too! Isn't that neat? Maybe if I get a cat of my own, she'll come visit me even after Maya leaves. I think... I think maybe that's my biggest fear. When Chiyo-chan gets back, Sakaki-san won't want to be my friend anymore. But if I give her the chocolate, maybe she'll reconsider. The only thing is, I'm not sure I have the guts to do it. What if she freaks out and thinks I'm so kind of weirdo. Maybe I am. But I can't help it. I love Sakaki-san... wholly... completely. I just want to see her smile. Her smile alone could light up the entire city.'

Sakaki choked and stifled a sob. Tears began to stream down her cheeks. She turned the page.

A drawing of Sakaki sitting at her window seat, chin in hand, was encircled by a heart that been traced and retraced dozens of times.

'Sakaki-san is totally misunderstood. Everybody thinks she's cold and distant, but she's so warm hearted and has such a beautiful soul. I actually can't believe someone so amazing really exists. I'm lucky to be on the same planet as Sakaki-san. But I'm still so sad. She'll never know the way I feel. If she did, she'd hate me for sure. I'm so average anyway, even if there was some teeny tiny possibility Sakaki-san would ever like another girl, it would never ever in a million years be me. I just wish I could make her understand, make her like me the way I like her. But I know that's asking too much, so I'll gladly settle for friendship, even though it hurts so much inside.'

Sakaki, through watery eyes, looked at the photo that had been taped to the page. It was the picture of Sakaki with Tomo's arms wrapped around her suggestively from the summer trip, only Tomo's head had been replaced by a cut-out of Kaorin's head. Sakaki put her hand up to her mouth. Then suddenly there was a crash. Sakaki looked to the doorway where Kaorin stood, white as a sheep, trembling.

"K-Kaorin," Sakaki choked.

Instantly, Kaorin's eyes misted up, and she dropped the small parcel she was holding, and bolted from the doorway.

"Kaorin wait!" Sakaki called after her.

But she was gone.


	10. Chapter 9

The sky opened up and rain crashed down to the streets in blankets as if the senile gods themselves were weeping. Kaorin, tears streaming down her cheeks, panted heavily as she ran from her house and down the street. A moment later, Sakaki flew out of the doorway and sprinted after her. It wasn't difficult, given Sakaki's athletic prowess, to catch her runaway friend. Sakaki caught Kaorin by the wrist.

"Let me go!" screamed Kaorin.

"Kaorin, stop it!" Sakaki said sternly.

Kaorin swatted at Sakaki's arm helplessly, then ceased struggling, and began to cry. The rain and the mist enveloped them both.

"Kaorin... why... why didn't you... uh... tell me?" 

Kaorin sniffed. "B-because... because you'd hate me, like you do now."

"I don't hate you," Sakaki sighed. "I... I really don't know what to think."

"How... how could you read my journal?!"

"I'm sorry, I just--"

"My personal diary! How could you, Sakaki-chan?"

Sakaki wiped the rain and tears from her eyes.

"I... I wanted to understand."

"What is there to understand?" retorted Kaorin. "Isn't it obvious? Hasn't it always been obvious. I like you! There! I've finally said it! I like Sakaki-chan! Stupid little Kaorin is in love with Sakaki-chan! What more do you want me to say?!"

Sakaki, blushing furiously, tugged on Kaorin's arm.

"Hey," she whispered. "I don't hate you, Kaorin."

Kaorin leaned against Sakaki and began to sob.

"I... it's been really hard for you... hasn't it?"

The girl continued to cry. Sakaki wrapped her arms around her.

"Look... Kaorin... this is a first for me... I... I don't know what to do in situations like this. I... I mean I like you too... maybe not in the same way that you like me... I'm not sure... I mean I'm confused..."

Kaorin's sobbing ceased. She stared at the pavement.

"I don't need your pity, Sakaki-chan," she said drearily. Her voice sounded tired.

"It's not pity," insisted the taller girl. "I... I appreciate everything you've done for me. I just... this changes things."

"I knew it," Kaorin said. "I knew it would."

"Everything's changed now." 

"I know. That's why I never told you."

There was only the sound of rain and the distant grumble of thunder, like a dragon waking up from a long slumber.

"Kaorin let's go back," Sakaki said.

"I... I think I'd rather be alone."

"Kaorin please, we need to talk about this. I... I can't... I... I don't want to be alone right now..."

Kaorin stared at Sakaki. "Sakaki-chan... I'm... I'm sorry... but--"

Sakaki ran her fingers through Kaorin's hair. Soft, silky, almost like a newborn kitten's fur.

"Stop it," Kaorin said, her voice muffled.

"You... you don't like it?" 

"Of course I do," Kaorin said gruffly. "But you're not acting like yourself. I don't need your sympathy... How could you be so cruel, mocking my feelings like that?"

"I... I'm not mocking you Kaorin."

"Then what?"

Sakaki held Kaorin's chin in her hand and raised her head so their eyes met.

"Kaorin I... I've been thinking... I mean... well... it's only been a week... but... I feel like I've gotten to know you a lot better... and well... this caught be by surprise for sure."

Kaorin averted her eyes.

"Kaorin look at me." 

"Why?"

"Because I need you to know that I mean it when I say this."

"What are you talking about?"

Kaorin stared up into Sakaki's deep, opal eyes. Her cheeks instantly began to burn, her stomach fluttering again like it did every time she stared at Sakaki at school.

"Kaorin... I... I feel different around you and I don't know why... I've told you... shown you things I've never shown anyone." 

"Where are you going with this, Sakaki-chan?" Kaorin asked suspiciously.

Sakaki wiped her bangs from her eyes.

"Kaorin what I'm trying to say is--"

Just then, there was a brilliant flash of lightning and a loud clap of thunder. Kaorin shrieked. Sakaki took Kaorin by the arm and led her across the street and into an alcove created by a streetside ramen shop.

"It... it's really getting stormy," Kaorin muttered absently.

"Yeah..."

"You two look pretty weather-beaten," the store manager said as the two girls turned to meet the source of the voice. "Please come in. I'll get you both a towel."

"Thank you," Sakaki said.

Sakaki and Kaorin sat across from each other in silence, each sipping their ramen noodles, waiting for the storm to pass.

"Reckless running about out there with the weather like this," the storekeeper said with an air of experience. "You two should be careful."

"We will, thank you," mumbled Kaorin awkwardly.

More silence. The storekeeper watched them both. Occasionally, each girl would quickly look at the other, than avert her gaze quickly. The storekeeper smiled.

"You know, when I was a young man," he began, "I met a beautiful young woman... right where you two are sitting right now. I worked here as an employee before the old owners sold it."

"Did you two marry?" Sakaki said, feigning interest.

The storekeeper sighed. "No, we never did."

"Why not?" asked Kaorin.

"Well I never had the guts to tell her how I felt. You see, she was from a different background than me. I was just a lowly waiter working in a streetside ramen shop. But she was the daughter of a wealthy man... absolutely beautiful too. Not a day goes by I don't wish I had proposed to her."

"How sad..." Kaorin winced.

"Yes... how sad," agreed the storekeeper. "The thing is, you young'uns have your whole lives ahead of you. Don't want to live with regrets. If I had married Ritsuko, who knows what my life could have been like? Now I just own a ramen shop. The point is... it doesn't matter who you are... where you're from... I guess all that really matters is that you love someone. That's what counts. Ah, but don't listen to me! I'm just a senile old man." 

Sakaki and Kaorin stared at each other. The storekeeper smirked and walked into the backroom muttering something to himself.

"Sakaki-chan..."

"Kaorin..."

Sakaki took Kaorin's hands in her own.

"What I was trying to tell you before," she began, "is that... and I don't really know how to explain it or what it means... but... I..."

"Sakaki-chan?"

The tall girl blushed furiously.

"Kaorin I... I think I..."

"Sa...Sakaki...chan?"

"I think I like you Kaorin... like... um... a lot." 

Kaorin sat motionless, not speaking, for several minutes.

"K-Kaorin?" Sakaki mumbled.

In Kaorin's mind, Sakaki dismounted from her white horse, and took Kaorin in her arms. 'I love you, my princess,' she said.

"Kaorin?" Sakaki repeated.

"H..."

"H?" 

"Horse." 

Sakaki flinched. "Horse?"

"You... you were... r-riding a w-white..."

"Um... Kaorin?"

"Please excuse me," Kaorin said, getting up.

"Kaorin where are you going?"

"Bathroom." 

"Uh... oh... ok..."

Kaorin excused herself and went into the restroom. She went into one of the stalls and collapsed upon one of the toilet seats.

Sakaki slurped her ramen, then choked when she suddenly heard a jubilant scream for the restroom.

"GWAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"


	11. Chapter 10

Authors Note: First of all, I would like to apologize sincerely for having not added to this story in some time. As I stated previously, I was at Otakon. I ended up staying for a week after that with friends so I wasn't able to write. But here it is. We're nearing the end now.

Narita airport was busy as always, thought little Chiyo, but not nearly as busy as Los Angeles International Airport had been. Her trip to America had been fascinating. She'd seen many colleges, dazzled many boards of admission. Now she was home. She couldn't wait to see her friends, friends that she would miss horribly next year while studying abroad in the vast and mysterious land of America.

Kagura, who had gotten her own car and drivers license that very year, was waiting at arrivals to pick her up. With her was the boisterous Tomo, the aggravated Yomi, the space cadet Osaka, and Chihiro, who seemed to look rather distant. Chiyo waved merrily as she approached the group.

"Welcome back Chiyo!" Kagura beamed with a thumbs up.

"How was America?" Tomo chided in. "Were you kidnapped and held hostage for ransom?"

"Did you become president?" inquired Osaka, quite seriously.

Chiyo waved dismissively.

"Hehe! It was ok, I guess. I got to practice my English a lot."

"Oooooh!" Tomo gasped. "Did you speak the whole time in English? Are you THAT much of a genius?"

"Well," Chiyo admitted, sweat dropping, "I did make an effort to speak English as much as I could. But sometimes I forgot a vocabulary word and had to use my dictionary. Hehe!"

"Y...you're so... cute," Yomi stiffled a grunt.

"Was America scary?" Chihiro asked suddenly. "What was it like being so far away from your friends?"

"Well," Chiyo said. "I had to get used to it, even though it was difficult. After all, next year we'll all have to make new friends at our colleges, right?"

A hushed silence fell upon the group. It hadn't really occured to any of them that their wonderful sphere of friends would be, in due time, so abruptly shattered. Like seeds to the wind they would be scattered all over the world, the friendships they had built up over the years vanishing in the blink of an eye.

"No, no, no!" Tomo grinned. "We'll all keep in touch of course. The hell with replacement friends! No one can replace Crying Diet Girl, here."

"Well YOU are EASILY replaced!" Yomi snarled.

"Oh is that right?" Tomo laughed.

"Shall we go?" Chiyo said, sweat dropping again.

In the car, Chiyo sat next to Chihiro. She looked at all of the other girls, then wondered suddenly, "Where's Sakaki-san?"

Chihiro bristled slightly at this. Yomi leaned back in her seat, folding her arms across her chest.

"Sakaki and Kaorin said they were going to take Sakaki's cat to the vet today," she said.

"Oh!" Chiyo smiled. "I hope everything worked out with Sakaki and Kaorin while I was gone."

"Maybe too well," Chihiro muttered.

"What...what's wrong Chihiro?"

"All Kaorin ever does is spend time with Sakaki these days... she won't even return my text messages."

"Oh I see..."

"Strange isn't it?" Tomo wondered aloud. "I mean... those two never ordinarily spent any time together. I know Maya's staying at Kaorin's, but for Sakaki to hang around Kaorin so much just because of that... I dunno... it just smells fishy."

"How's that?" Kagura said from the driver's seat.

"I don't know," Tomo shrugged. "Can't place my finger on it really."

"Maybe Kaorin's a witch," Osaka said, "and she's brainwashed poor Sakaki into being her minion."

"Minion!" cried Tomo. "I don't even know what that is but it doesn't sound good!"

"Don't be stupid," Chihiro grumbled. "It isn't that."

"Well what do you suspect?" Chiyo said.

Chihiro looked down at her hands, silent for a moment.

"Okay, you can't tell anyone about this. Do I have everyone's word?"

"Sure,"

"Yup."

"Ok." 

"Scout's honor."

"I won't tell a soul."

Chihiro sighed. "I... I've suspected this for a long time... I mean... I don't think it's completely unreasonable to think so..."

"I know!" Tomo cut in. "Kaorin's a serial killer and Sakaki's going to be her latest victim!"

Yomi bashed Tomo on the head. The entire car sweat dropped. "Shut up, idiot, and let her speak." 

"Anyway," Chihiro continued, "I've been friends with Kaorin for a long time... long enough to understand a bit of what goes on inside that girl's crazy head. And well..." She fumbled with the words. "I... I think Kaorin is..."

"Yeah? Yeah?" Tomo gasped.

"I think Kaorin is in love with Sakaki."

The sound of crickets chirping was deafening.

"But seriously, tell nobody about that," Chihiro mumbled.

"EEEEEEEEEW! That's gross!" Tomo guffawed. "Kaorin's a lesbian? Omg eeeew!"

"HEY!!!" roared Yomi. "So what the hell is wrong with being a lesbian, anyway?! She's still a human being just like us with her own hopes and dreams!"

"Jeez, Yomi, I was just joking," Tomo said. "I couldn't care less if she's heterosexual, homosexual, asexual or whatever."

"O...Oh," Yomi muttered, reddening.

"But... but what's that have to do with Sakaki-san?" Chiyo asked suddenly. "I mean... why would Sakaki hang around Kaorin so much unless--"

The train of thought arrived at its destination. Chiyo blanched. "Wait... n-no that can't..."

"Heh," Kagura said from the driver's seat. "Chiyo, it ain't what you're thinking. It's just not even within the remotest realm of possibility. I know Sakaki pretty well, and there's no way in hell she'd fall in love with Kaorin, much less another girl."

Kaorin and Sakaki sat upon Kaorin's bed, facing each other. Both were body blushing immensely.

"S...Sa-...Sakaki-chan," Kaorin whispered.

"Me neither," Sakaki said. "I... I've never kissed anyone before. This... this is new to me also."

There was an awkward silence. Sakaki took Kaorin's hands in her own, then leaned forward slowly. Kaorin closed her eyes and puckered her lips. There were mere inches between the two.

"Kaorin," Sakaki whispered. "Are... are you sure?"

"Yes..."

Sakaki's lips found Kaorin's. The warmth between the girls blazed like the heat of a midsummer sun. Sakaki's tongue wriggled awkwardly into Kaorin's mouth causing the smaller girl to whimper slightly. Tears streamed down Kaorin's cheeks as she sat there, lips locked with the girl she had idolized the last three years of her life. Dreams do come true, she thought. The senile gods had finally answered her prayers after all this time. Good things truly came to those who waited for them. Kaorin's arms encircled Sakaki's athletic waist, clutching tenderly yet firmly the waist of the girl she wished would for eternity simply lie at her side, taking her in her arms. That was all Kaorin had ever wanted: to be the girl Sakaki liked most, to be held in Sakaki's arms for all eternity. And here it was, her mouth pressed against Sakaki's mouth, her tongue dancing with Sakaki's, the warmth between them so radiant and powerful it felt like wrapping oneself in a heated blanket after playing out in the snow.

Life was magical, not mundane. Dreams still did come true. This was a moment in time that Kaorin had only imagined for years. It had seemed so far beyond the realm of possibility that Kaorin had lowered her goals such that being within close proximity of the girl would have been enough. Sakaki was like a titan. Athletic, courageous, and selfless, she was so dazzlingly Herculean that Kaorin thought she might actually faint if the girl ever took her in her arms. Now, she was being kissed by Sakaki, the Aphrodite of her personal fantasy world. If it was a dream, she wished she would never wake up.

It was Kaorin who broke off the kiss.

"Sa...Sakaki..."

"Is something wrong?"

"No... I just... I just can't believe this is happening..."

"Me neither, Kaorin... I... I honestly don't know what I'm feeling right now. But we can't tell anyone about this, alright?" 

"We can't?"

"Absolutely under no conditions can we mention this to anyone."

"But... but why?"

"Kaorin..."

Sakaki became serious all of a sudden.

"Kaorin, I... I have... for whatever reason... a certain reputation... I... I have to keep that going because if I don't I won't even know who I am... I know that may be hard to understand... but... but if anyone finds out that you and I are... doing whatever it is we're doing... then I... I won't be able to see you ever again."

Kaorin's eyes watered.

"I... I won't t-tell a soul..."

There was a knock at the door. Kaorin blanched and Sakaki leapt off the bed and ran to Kaorin's vanity, brushing her hair into submission.

"Kaori!" said the voice of Rei, Kaorin's mother. "Some of your friends are here."

Sakaki spun around. "Chiyo returned from America today!"

"That's right!"

"Just--just play it cool, Kaorin. We were just looking at a catalog or something."

"Right. A... catalog."

Sakaki opened the door.

"BANZAI!!!!" Tomo bellowed, thrashing her way past Sakaki and into the room.

"I've never been in Kaorin's room before," Osaka said.

"It actually looks a bit like Sakaki's," Yomi observed.

Chihiro walked in silently. Chiyo hugged Sakaki.

"Welcome home," Sakaki smiled.

"Thanks! Well, now that I'm back, how's Maya?"

"Yes... about that..." Sakaki began.

"So... Kaori," Tomo pointed a finger. "The inquisition has arrived! Confess all your dirty secrets before the jury while you still can!"

Kaorin paled. "J...jury?" 

"Nice going, Tomo," Kagura sighed.

"You're such an idiot," Yomi scowled.

"Wh...what?" Kaorin said confused.

Sakaki turned, reddening, feeling her heart pounding in her ears.

"We all heard from a fairly reliable source--"

Chihiro had covered Tomo's big mouth with her arm.

"You promised!"

"What's going on here?" Kaorin said nervously.

"Well I guess the cat's out of the bag, so to speak," Kagura said, kneeling down and stroking Maya who began to purr.

Chihiro sighed, loostening her grip on Tomo.

"You can't expect her to keep secrets, really," Yomi said quietly.

"But really," the berzerker girl continued to rant. "We heard you've got the hots for Sakaki here... Is there any truth to these allegations? Even an ounce? Huh? Huh?"

Kaorin's eyes widened. She appeared to spin backwards into the black abyss of Buddhist hell.

"We really don't care if you do," Kagura added. "We're all Sakaki's friends, so we'd just like to know."

Sakaki's mouth had fallen open. Kaorin looked at Sakaki pleadingly. After a moment, Sakaki steadied herself.

"Everyone," she announced, walking over to where Kaorin sat trembling violently upon her bed. "I have asked Kaorin if she would like to be my girlfriend. She accepted. There it is. That's the truth of it."

There was a hushed silence. Mouths dropped. Yomi reddened, casting a nervous glance at Tomo, who stood, mouth twitching, for the first time in the girl's boisterous life at a complete and total loss for words. Kaorin turned purple, and began to feel dizzy. Sakaki sat beside her and wrapped one arm around Kaorin's waist, steadying her.

"Well," Chiyo said, breaking the silence, giving a thumbs up. "Do your best, Sakaki-san!"


End file.
